Rollable structure for beds and the like



June 3, 1952 H. GRAHAM ROLLABLE STRUCTURE FOR BEDS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 2, 1950 Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROL'LABLE STRLUCTUREFOR BEDS AND THE LIKE Harold Graham, Claremont, Calif. Application December 2, 1950, serial No. 198,882

15 Claims.

My invention relates to a structure rollable along a surface in a guided pathand mor'e par ticularly to an apparatus or mechanism for guiding the movement of a base structure -of a bed or the like in a predetermined path across a floor. The invention will beexemplified as guiding twin beds from arear or sid'e by-side position to a forward position in'whichthe-beds'are separated, although it will be clear that the apparatus to be described is well adaptedto-g'uidin'g other structures.

When in a side-by-side, closely-spacedposition, twin beds cannot beeasily made up; yet-such-position is often desirable for sleeping or for bed appearance. To facilitate movement to-amore spaced position, such twin beds are sometimes equipped with self-swivelling, small-wheelcasters but the beds move only with difficulty and in an erratic and often unpredictable path;

It is very desirable that 'twin' beds or many similar structures be guided to move-easily in predetermined paths between predetermined'positions, and it is an object ofthe present in vention to provide an apparatus useful for this purpose.

It is another object to provide an apparatus for guiding a wheeled, floor-supported, base struc-.

ture in a predetermined path by use of a single arm or guiding element. Another object is to guide such a base structure in a predetermined path relative to a fixed pivot member. Still another object is to effect translational movement of a base structure while a reference poii'itpfthe structure is guided in an arcua-te'path'.

A further object is to provide a base structure with a plurality of casters and a connection means for 'swivelling these simultaneously to-guide the structure in a predetermined path. One ofthese casters is hereinafter termed a referencecaster,

and it is an object of the invention to" connect this caster operatively to the aforesaid arm or guiding element. 7

A further object is to connect such arm or guiding element directly to the reference caster while employing a connectionmeans for controlling the orientation of the'remaining casters while that of the reference caster is controlled directly by the arm or guiding element.-

Still another object is to employee a-connection means a flexible member'atjleast partially encircling swivel-controlling wheels of a plurality of casters. 7 7

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be evident to those skilled'inthe art from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Referring to thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective" view of. the

invention as applied to a bed, shownin a rear position;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustraitng the loci of motion of two beds relatedly equipped with theguiding means of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, nearly full size, of one of the casters of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, abase structure H1 is shown as a fiat frame wtih side bars II, end bars I2 and a central bar I3. The base structure is illustrated-as a part of or as a support for a bed, suggested by box springs I4 and a mattress I5. The invention includes a roller-'- type support means I6 controlled by a guiding means I1 for rolling the base structure I0 along the floor in a guided path, preferably with translational motion. The term translational motion is used in a sense to distinguish from rotation and has reference to motion in which all points of the base structure have at any instant the same velocity and direction of motion whereby the base structure'is guided so that any line thereon remains parallel to itself during the guided movement.

The support means I6 may be a plurality of casters 20-; Here and elsewhere the'ter'm caster is' used in a broad sense as including any wheeled unit-that canswivel about a vertical axis whether such caster is of the offset type, in which the wheel axis is offset from the swivel axis, or of the in-line type, in which the wheel axis'intersectsor is very close-to the swivel axis. The latter type is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, each caster comprising a mounting member 2| and a wheel 22 journalled thereby to turn'on a horizontal axis as the wheel rolls" along the carpeted or bare floor. The mounting member 2-] is shown as including a pair of legs'2'3 carryingtherusual pin 23a for journalling the wheel 22* either directly or through the'mediuin of a bushing'or other bearing 24.

Each caster 2ll'provides means for connection to the bottom of the base structure III to swivel about a vertical swivel axis. ameans'as including an upright swivel pin 25 surrounded by a Washer 26 and turning in a hushed or drilled opening 21 of the base structurd-being detachably retained therein by any conventional deten't or holding means not interferring with the swivelling action. I

In supporting abed, I prefer to use five such casters, two at the head corners, two at the foot corners and one in' the center of the bar I3. The fifth caster is not always needed but gives a desirable central support, lacking in conventional beds:

The invention contemplates that at least two and preferably all of the casters should be guided so that the swivelling movement of one caster,

so that all 'of the guided casters will move through equal swivel angles whereby their wheels Figs. 1 and 3 show such or the midplanes thereof will face in the same direction at all times. This is accompished by a connection means for operatively connecting the mounting members of the casters, this connection means being also operatively connected to the guiding means IT.

The preferred connection means 30 includes a horizontally-disposed wheel or pulley 3| on each guided caster and connected to or formed as a part of the mounting member 2| thereof, together with a flexible member or cable 32 at least partially encircling the pulleys of the guided casters. A very simple arrangement, suggested in Fig. 3, is to extend the leg-supporting element of the mounting member 2| outwardly, grooving its periphery to provide a groove 33 receiving the flexible cable 32. The cable 32 is of the endless type and is preferably wound around the pulleys so that the pulley-spanning portions are disposed inside lines connecting the swivel axes at the corners, e. g., so that these portions cross each other near the corner casters. This permits the cable 32 to encircle each corner pulley through an angular distance greater than 180 and gives a greater angle of swivelling, as compared with a cable merely encircling the pulleys without cross over. The centrally-located caster is driven by wrapping the cable once around its pulley 3 I, the general cable arrangement being well shown in Fig. 1.

The flexible cable 32 is preferably secured fixedly to a portion of each pulley, as by being clamped thereto in any suitable way when all of the wheels 22 are in aligmnent. As illustrated, the cable is wrapped around a bolt 35 extending through one flange of each pulley 3| to effect this clamping. This insures that all of the wheels 22 will track, eliminating any tendency for any of the caster wheels to skid or be displaced from the direction of instantaneous movement of the base structure. A pulley-type connection means as shown will also insure translational motion of the base structure if any point thereon is guided through a predetermined path by the guiding means I! and if this guiding means is connected operatively to the connection means 30.

In the illustrated embodiment the guiding means I! is shown as including an arm with one end hinged by a pin 4| to a bifurcated pivot member 42 fixed in position at such elevation that the arm 40 may swing in a horizontal plane to lie beneath the head of the base structure when the latter is in a rear position, suggested in Fig. 1. If the other end of this arm is pivoted to the base structure at a reference point or position, this reference point will be guided to move arcuately about the pivot axis of the pivot member 42. At the same time, if this other end of the arm is connected operatively to the connection means 30, e. g., either to the cable 32 or any pulley 3|, the base structure will be moved with translational motion through a predetermined path.

Both the pivoting and operative connection can be effected by rigidly connecting this other end of the arm 40 to the pulley 3| of the reference caster 20a, preferably to the head caster most removed from th pivot member 42. This latter arrangement permits the arm 40 to act as a stop means when engaged by the other head caster, a feature often desirable in a bed arrangement. It also permits locking the bed in its rear position, as by pivoting a latch 45 to the base structure [0 so that a sloping portion 46 thereof will engage the arm 40 to swing the latch below the arm and then spring upwardly into latched relation with the bar under the action of a spring 47. The latch 45 can be released from a position at the foot of the bed or base structure 10 by pulling on a knob 48 connected by a rod or wire 49 to the latch. If desired, the latch 45 may also serve as a stop means determining the rearmost position of the base structure I0.

Fig. 2 shows right-hand and left-hand beds '50 and 6|, the former equipped with the invention as oriented in Fig. 1 and the latter being identically equipped except that the arm 40a extends leftward from its reference caster 20a, being hinged to pivot member 4211. The pivot members 42 and 42a are shown as connected respectively to inner sides of night stands 62 and 63 connected by a head board 64. As the beds 60 and 6| are pulled forwardly from their rearmost position, shown in full lines, they spread at an ever increasing rate, the caster wheels turning and respectively rolling through the dotted-line paths shown. Each reference caster 20a is guided to swing in an arc, and its midplane remains substantially tangential to such arc. As each of the other casters are driven to swivel through equal angles, the beds are translated to forward positions, exemplified by dotted lines 65 for the bed 6|. Engagement between the arm 40a and the side of its night stand 63 can act as a stop to limit the forward position, if desired. By attaching the pivot members 42 and 42a to the floor or to the forward edges of the night stands, the beds can be swung further apart and made to move rearwardly into positions that may lie adjacent to side walls of a room or to other furniture components to form day beds.

During all portions of the movement, the beds roll smoothly along a predetermined path and constantly in parallel relationship, this being made possible by the tracking of the wheels and the guiding thereof to traverse identical arcuate paths but from different starting points. The relatively large wheels 22 contribute to smooth rolling even on carpeted floors. The lengths of the arms 40 and 40a may be such that the beds or their coverings are in physical contact when in a rear position whereby it is possible to make up the beds as a single king-size unit, if desired, or to simulate the appearance thereof by disposing a single cover across the made-up twin beds.

While the mechanism has been particularly described with reference to the guiding of beds, it is also applicable to other installations where a base structure is to be moved through a guided path. Also, while specific details of the preferred mechanism have been illustrated, various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for effecting translational motion of a floor-supported base structure for a bed or the like as it is moved relative to a pivot member, the combination of: a plurality of casters each comprising a mounting member and a wheel journalled thereby to turn about a horizontal axis as said wheel rolls along the floor; means for connecting said casters to the bottom of said base structure to swivel respectively about vertical axes spaced from each other; connection means for operatively connecting said mounting members to turn same through equal angles about said vertical axes upon turning of one of said mounting members; and an arm providing one end operatively connected to said connectin means and another end pivotally connected to said pivot member to swing. thereabout, said connection means maintaining said. wheels with their midplanes extending in the direction of instantaneous movement of said base structure during its translational movement.

2. In an apparatus for effecting translational motion ofa floor-supported base structure for a bed or the like as it is moved relative to a fixed pivot member providing a vertical pivot axis and while maintaining a reference position of said base structure a fixed distance from such pivot member, the combination of: an arm; means for pivoting one portion of said arm to said pivot member to swing about said vertical pivot axis; means for pivoting another portion of said arm to the bottom of said base structure at said reference position and about a vertical axis; a plurality of casters each including a mounting member and a wheel journalled thereby to turn about a horizontal axis as such wheel rolls along the fioor; means for connecting said casters to the bottom of said base structure to swivel respectively about vertical swivel axes spaced from each other; and connection means operatively connected to said arm and operatively connecting said mounting members to swivel same through equal angles to maintain the midplanes of said wheels extending in the direction of instantaneous movement of said base structure during its translational motion.

3. In an apparatus for effecting translational motion of a floor-supported base structure for a bed or the like as it is moved relative to a fixed pivot member providing a vertical pivot axis and while maintaining a reference position of said base structure a fixed distance from said pivot member, the combination of: a plurality of casters supporting said base structure and each including a mounting member and a wheel journalled thereby to turn about a horizontal axis as such wheel rolls along the floor; means for connecting said casters to said base structure to swivel respectively about vertical swivel axes spaced from each other, one of said casters being thus connected at said reference position to constitute a reference caster; an arm providing one portion pivoted to said pivot member to swing another portion thereof about said vertical pivot axis, said other portion being fixed to said mounting member of said reference caster to maintain a fixed angle between said arm and the mid-plane of the wheel of said reference caster as the arm swings; and connection means operatively connecting said casters to swivel same through equal angles upon swivelling of said reference caster as controlled by said arm to maintain all of said caster wheels facing in the same direction as the wheel of the reference caster.

l. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which each mounting member comprises a horizontallydisposed wheel forming a part of said connection means, and in which said connection means includes a flexible member extending at least partially around each of said horizontally-disposed wheels and drivably connected thereto.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which each horizontally-disposed wheel is a pulley and in which said flexible member is a flexible cable wrapped at least partially around each of said pulleys, and including means for securing each pulley to said cable at a position within the corresponding wrapped portion of the latter.

6 6.; apparatus asidefined inclaim :3 which the midplane. of the wheel of-the reference caster issubstantially perpendicular to .a line joining said reference position and said fixed pivot member.

7. An apparatusas defined inclaim 3 in, which said armswings at a level; below saidbase structure. and in Whichsaid referencecaster is, further, removed :from said pivot member than another of said casters, said otherrcaster engaging said armgas a. stopjto determine'onev extreme position of said: base. structure.

; 8. An apparatus as defined in claim.3 including means for. releasably locking said base structure and said. arm together.

9. .Anapparatusas defined in claim 3 in which said pivot member is on one side of said base structure when the latter is in a rear position whereby said arm extends sidewardly of said base structure when in such position.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 including a latch for detachably latching said base structure in said rear position.

11. In an apparatus for guiding the movement of right and left floor-supported base structures for twin beds or the like relative to right and left pivot members spaced more than the combined widths of said base structures, which movement is from a rear side-by-side position in which said base structures are closely adjacent to a forward position in which said base structures are forward and spaced more widely from each other, the combination of: means for supporting each of said base structures to roll along the floor, said means including a reference caster and at least one other caster for each base structure, said casters of each base structure swivelling about spaced vertical swivel axes and each caster providing a wheel journalled on a horizontal axis to roll along the floor; connection means for mechanically linking said casters of each base structure to swivel together; a left arm providing one portion pivoted to said left pivot member and another portion pivotally connected to said left base structure adjacent its reference caster and operatively connected to the corresponding connection means to turn the corresponding caster wheels as said left base structure is pulled forwardly to guide same toward said forward spaced position; and a right arm providing one portion pivoted to said right pivot member and another portion pivoted to said right base structure adjacent its reference caster and operatively connected to the corresponding connection means to turn the corresponding caster wheels as said right base structure is pulled forwardly to guide same toward said forward spaced position, said arms extending toward each other when said base structures are in said rear sideby-side position to guide said base structures through separating paths when pulled forwardly.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which the reference casters are near the adjacent sides of said base structures whereby said arms traverse a substantial portion of the width of the corresponding base structure when in said rear position.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said reference caster of each base structure is below that half thereof more removed from the corresponding pivot member and in the path of rolling of another of said casters of this base structure as the latter moves toward and into its rear position.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 for guiding the movement of two twin beds respectively including said base structures and including two night stands providing sides facing each other and spaced beyond said beds when in side-by-side position, said night stands respectively providing said pivot members, each arm being of a length to extend forwardly beyond the night stand when the corresponding bed is pulled forwardly.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which each night stand provides a stop means in the path 01' its arm to limit the forward movement of the corresponding base structure and thus the spacing 01' said beds.

HAROLD GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

